Glory Days
by fourandtwenty
Summary: Another Least Likely of All spin off - woohoo! Lily has a brief encounter with an Afterlife she never dreamed possible, a Great Grandfather she's longed to speak with... and a child whose life was taken away before it had a chance to live.


**Glory Days - Least Likely Of All**  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I would recommend reading Least Likely of All before you tackle this, simply because you won't understand anything if you don't. This is my work and unless you have my permission, don't copy or use my ideas, or else I'll get a firm full of lawyers on your arse. Don't think I'm kidding, either.  
  
Aimée  
  
  
  
  
_… A loud beeping overtook the room. The doctors had wrapped a band around my arm, monitoring my heartbeat in a small orb that was suspended about a foot over my body, a red glow throbbing with each continuous beat.__  
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__"Dad… What's going on?" Harry, my son, looked up at my husband, who was watching the scene unfold in front of his with shock. Before Severus could even acknowledge the fact Harry had spoken to him, a dreadful whine filled the room, making Harry want to cover his ears. He couldn't, however. The baby was still resting peacefully in his arms.__  
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__Before Harry could register what was happening, two other doctors rushed into the room, nurses in tow. A flurry of activity occurred as the witches and wizards blocked Harry's view from me – I was no longer trembling, and I was sure he took full notice of this.__  
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__After a minute, the doctors backed up, each sighing in their own turn. The whining stopped, but the pulsing did not sound as Harry expected it to.__  
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__One of the doctors – the one who had delivered the two little infants lying in Harry and Severus' arms, my two baby boys – turned towards the two of them and Remus, standing there in shock.__  
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__ "I'm sorry," he spoke, "She's dead."_  
  
I didn't watch the scene from my body, as was expected; instead, I saw what had to be the oddest experience of my life – I watched myself die.  
  
I wasn't angry, scared, or even nervous to see the Afterlife; I immediately felt at peace with everything that was going on. It was all so unfamiliar… yet so comforting at the same time. I simply watched three of my children, my best friend, and the most important human being in my life lean up against a white hospital wall and cry.   
  
Before I had a moment to react, I felt a warm hand fall upon my shoulder. I didn't have to look up to know who it was – Papa.  
  
"Lily…" he breathed, a smile upon his handsome face. He had changed – he was now the man he saw himself as, a 20-something redheaded man with chiseled features and a warm smile.   
  
"Papa," I smiled, reaching out and embracing him as if he had never been gone. "How have you been?"  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked smartly, "I haven't been gone but a few minutes."  
  
I blinked, confused. "But… my babies… They're here now. You died…"  
  
He chuckled, "Yes, I'm sorry dear. Time has no value here; it can go as fast or as slow as you'd like it to."  
  
I nodded, understanding clearly. I was silent for a moment before a thought popped into my head.  
  
"Papa… Who all is here? Is Mum, Dad…?"  
  
He smiled once again, those eyes I knew so well dancing. "Yes, they're all here. In due time, my dear, you shall see them. However… I believe there is someone who's been eager to meet you for quite a while."  
  
He gestured to the left of me, and as I turned around, I was suddenly struck dumb. Standing in front of me was a beautiful girl around eighteen years of age, her jet back hair cascading in an unearthly way down her back. Her eyes were what struck me the most; they were also jet black, and pulled at my memory for a moment before she smiled and walked up to be, extending her hand.  
  
"Mum?" she asked, touching my hand gently. "Do you have any idea who I am?"  
  
My eyes were wide with amazement as I gazed at the face of the baby I had lost so many years before. It was impossible – she died before she had even had the chance to take on a true body. How could she possibly have the features she so blatantly showed?   
  
"This is how I would have been," My daughter said quietly, "This is how I chose to be."  
  
Silently, I wrapped my arms around the girl, burying my face in the crook of her neck.  
  
"Baby…" I whispered, holding her tightly. This was the baby I had yearned for, wanted, needed for so long. The baby Severus and I loved, but never had a chance to hold. Our baby…  
  
"Mum, it's ok," she whispered as I reluctantly let go. She took a step back and smiled once more as I took in her every feature.  
  
_ My baby…_  
  
"Eighteen years," I choked out, allowing the tears I had been holding back to stream down my face. "Eighteen long years… You have siblings, dear, did you know that?"  
  
She nodded, "Yes, I do. Harry – he seems amazing, really. Ethan seems very ambitious, quite like Dad. Khalida…" she coughed, "Will have problems."  
  
I sighed, not taking my eyes off of her. "Yes, I believe she will. Kaylee doesn't know when to quit."  
  
The girl nodded, agreeing with me. "She doesn't. Dea's a dear, really… And Dakota! Such a doll! I sometimes wish I could speak to her for just a moment, but that's quite impossible, really. Drake's going to be very handsome, Mum." Her black eyes twinkled, reminding me Papa was standing just a few meters away from the two of us. "You did a great job."  
  
"Thank you," I said quietly. "I wish…"  
  
"You wish you could be there to finish the job," the girl said, pale hand reaching out to touch my own. "You will, Mum. Trust me."  
  
I smiled, knowing there wasn't any way I could not trust the girl. Before I could think, I reached over and touched her shoulder, feeling the liquid cloth covering her in a dress.  
  
"Do you have a name?"  
  
She thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I do. The name you would have given me if the events hadn't played out as they have."  
  
I blinked, searching my mind for the name Severus and I had wanted to give our daughter, but it had been too long; the name had escaped me, as many of the events that year had.  
  
"Lorelei Glory," the girl said, eyes not leaving my own. "With two E's and an I."  
  
She smirked as she said this last part, as if she herself was remembering something of a humorous nature. I nodded, inscribing the name within my memory, just as Papa placed his hand on my shoulder once again.  
  
I turned towards the man, not knowing what to say. I was unsure of what was to come, but I did know I wouldn't stay for much longer.  
  
"It's time," his voice was barely above a whisper as he gently guided me away from Lorelei, knowing how much of a heartbreak it would be for me to leave the girl. "Look…"  
  
He motioned for me to look at my husband, who was leaning over my body and pounding hard on my chest. I felt a sudden jolt over my heart, and I looked back at Papa and my daughter one last time.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
The last thing I saw was Lorelei's eyes, jet black and twinkling with laughter. With a rushing sound, I felt myself melting back into my own body, which was in terrible pain.  
  
_ Lily…_  
  
A voice in my mind called out for me, something I knew I couldn't refuse. I fought to open my eyes, trying my best to ignore the stabbing pain all over my body. It was complete agony, to be alive; why hadn't I realized this before?  
  
Bright light struck me blind for a moment as I opened my eyes, but when I could finally see again, the first thing that came into view was Severus' eyes.  
  
They looked exactly like Lorelei's.  
  
  
  
  
  
It was years before I thought of that time once more; Harry was now out of the house and almost twenty one years of age. My children were all growing up, and my husband and I were still going strong. Castor and Pollux, my twin sons whose birth nearly killed me, were a speed bump, yet it seemed things were now going perfectly.   
  
I was pregnant once again, with Severus and I's tenth child; a daughter that was to be named Michele Taylor. It wasn't until the night of her birth that I thought of the daughter we had been trying to make up for our entire marriage.  
  
I hadn't told Severus, nor did I intend to; bringing up such memories was an unwritten forbidden between us. It was an accident, how he found out; we could read other's minds, and this was amplified when there was physical contact. I had been holding his hand during labour, squeezing it as tightly as I could while trying desperately not to transfer any of the pain I was feeling into him. A sudden, random thought came into my mind so quickly I still don't know how it came to be, but he heard it, loud and clear.  
  
_ Lorelei Glory._  
  
He jumped slightly, mind swirling with confusion. I couldn't blame him – the thought of her name surprised me as well, but with the name came my entire memory of the girl and the time I spent in the Afterlife.  
  
He felt it – I knew he did. His black eyes, so like those of our daughter, widened as my memories seeped into his own mind, telling a tale I had so willingly kept from him.   
  
"You…" he spoke softly, as if he was afraid a loud noise would wake him from a dream. "You saw her?"  
  
I nodded, wincing slightly as a wave of pain washed over me. The nurse stationed in my room simply watched us in amazement, trying to figure out exactly what we were talking about.  
  
"My God," whispered Severus, "She's beautiful."  
  
I nodded once more, a smile appearing on my flushed face. He returned the smile, eyes gazing down at me with a look of understanding, a feeling of completeness. He knew she was all right – he wouldn't be burdened any longer.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was a full twenty four hours until our fourth daughter was born. I leaned back onto the bed, completely exhausted, as the nurses cleaned the infant off. This was nothing new to me; after eight births, I knew what was to be expected. What I didn't expect, however, was that the newborn would come into my arms simply radiating.  
  
I looked down at the child in my arms and brushed her black hair away from her eyes, taking every single detail in. Severus leaned forward slightly, gently brushing his fingers against her soft cheek. At this contact, the baby opened her eyes, looking up at us for the first of countless times throughout her life.  
  
The silence between Severus and I was Earth-shattering.  
  
"What's her name?" one of the plump nurses asked, holding up a piece of parchment I assumed to be our daughter's birth certificate and a quill.  
  
I didn't even bother asking Severus – I knew he would agree whole heartedly with the name I had chosen.  
  
"Lorelei Glory," I said quietly, eyes locked upon the familiar black ones I had longed to see again. "Lorelei with two E's and an I."  
  



End file.
